Article group carrier

ABSTRACT

An article group carrier for a group of articles, such as chimed cans, the carrier being comprised of tube-like elements formed of conjugately connected webs defining article engaging loops. The article carrier is arranged to support the cans in a pair of side-by-side rows, and at the points of conjugacy between the rows and between articles of a row the loops are joined along areas to enable the webs of the loops to firmly engage the article sides at the points of conjugacy and also in the annular grooves adjacent the chimes. The areas where the webs are joined are defined by generally elongated portions below the annular grooves adjacent the chimes, and by a wider area portion constrained into such annular grooves.

United States Patent Walter 1 Sept. 5, 1972 [54] ARTICLE GROUP CARRIER [72] Inventor: Richard T. Walter, Norristown, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Container Corporation of America,

Chicago, Ill.

22 Filed: Mnrchll), 1971 211 Appl.No.: 122,130

[52] US. Cl. ..206/65 C, 294/872 [51] Int. 71/00, B66f 19/00 [58] Field of Search ..206/65 C; 294/872 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,696,400 12/1954 Reyna et al...............294/87.2 2,740,657 4/1956 Poupitch .294/87.2 3,341,005 9/1967 Poupitch .206/65 C Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer ArrorneyCarpenter, Ostis & Lindberg [57] ABSTRACT An article group carrier for a group of articles, such as chimed cans, the carrier being comprised of tube-like elements formed of conjugately connected webs defining article engaging loops. The article carrier is arranged to support the cans in a pair of side-by-side rows, and at the points of conjugacy between the rows and between articles of a row the loops are joined along areas to enable the webs of the loops to firmly engage the article sides at the points of conjugacy and also in the annular grooves adjacent the chimes. The areas where the webs are joined are defined by generally elongated portions below the annular grooves adjacent the chimes, and by a wider area portion constrained into such annular grooves.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PNENTEIIsEP 5m: 3.688.899

l3 l3 INVENTOR RICHARD T. WALTER AT IOHNi Y5;

1 ARTICLE eaovr CARRIER THE PRIOR ART Structure according to the present invention may be formed in apparatus of the type disclosed in Chidsey Ser. No. 31,250, filed Apr. 24, 1970, now abandoned, entitled: Method and Machine for Carrier, and Walter Ser. No. 44,336, filed June 8, 1970 entitled: Apparatus and Method for Forming Article Carriers.

The structure disclosed in this application is an improvement over that disclosed in Helms Ser. No. 74,657, filed Sept. 23, 1970 for Improved Chime Holding Feature for Article Group Carrier.

This invention is particularly directed to improvements in carriers for article groups such as canned beverages known in the trade as six-packs.

Carriers of this type are formed from webs of resinous material having the property of being thermoplastic and being capable of being adhered upon the application of heat. These resinous webs also have memory characteristics so that loops formed therefrom may be stretched about a discrete article of the article group, the memory characteristics of the resin enabling the article to be held tightly within such loops.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The article group carrier according to the present invention finds application in the transport of article groups comprising recessed chimed end cans.

THE DRAWING FIG. I is a plan view showing an article carrier constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing articles constrained within loops of the article carrier;

FIG. 3 is a perspective of a portion of the carrier seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, showing details of the bond forming an article carrying loop; and

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show variations in the shape of the bonds forming the article carrying loop.

The improved article group carrier according to the present invention is denoted generally by the reference numeral 10, and is adapted to hold a plurality of similar articles such as a group of beverage containers C. In the form of the invention disclosed herein, the containers C are of the type having recessed chimed ends CH with a groove G adjacent a chimed end CH. The containers C are arranged in a pair of side-by-side rows, there being three in each row and the assembly being known in the trade as a six-pack.

The article group carrier 10 comprises a plurality of generally tube-like elements 11, these being formed from a pair of confronting inner webs l2 and outer webs 13 secured to the inner webs 12. The inner webs 12 are joined at their points of conjugacy by welds 14 which may be constructed as disclosed in the aforesaid Chidsey and Walter applications. The webs l2 and 13 forming the loops ll retaining a you of articles of a row are joined in the fashion according to the present invention.

Each container C is of the recessed chitned type, and structure is provided for holding the container C adjacent groove G thereof tightly within a loop 11. To this 535333231 5 w eie tfififilfllfiz niihi'iaiiin'ifiofi sists of an elongated portion 16 extending between the containers C at their points of conjugacy and below the annular groove G. Each area 15 includes a wider area portion 17 disposed at the annular groove G. The article holding loop 11 and the joining of webs l2 and 13 at the areas 15 causes the top portions of each loop to be constrained into the groove G adjacent chime CI-I.

Webs I2 and 13 are formed of memory type resins which revert to a previous undistorted dimension, after being stretched about the individual cans C, as. is disclosed in the aforesaid Chidsey and Walter applications.

As seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 the areas 15 may have different configurations and are denoted as 15A, 15B and 15C. FIG. 4 shows the elongated portion 16 with a generally triangular wider portion 17A. FIG. 5 shows area 153 as being generally T-shaped, and FIG. 6 shows area 15C as generally Y-shaped.

I claim:

1. In an article group carrier for holding in a predetermined arrangement a plurality of similar articles such as recessed chimed end cans, each having an annular groove adjacent the chime thereof:

a. said carrier comprising a plurality of generally tube-like elements formed from webs joined in conjugate relationship to provide a plurality of connected article supporting loops;

h. each of said loops holding an article therein and being arranged to hold said articles in a pair of side-by-side rows;

c. said article holding loops for the articles of a row being joined between contiguous articles thereof by said loops at areas defined by:

i. a generally elongated area portion in said loops at the points of conjugacy of said articles below the annular grooves in such articles;

ii. a generally wider area portion in said loops connected to said elongate area portion and disposed at the points of conjugacy of said articles at the annular grooves in such articles;

d. said article holding loops and the joining thereof at said areas causing said loops to be constrained into said annular groove adjacent said chime.

2. The improvement in article carriers according to claim I wherein said joined areas are generally T- shaped.

3. The improvement in article carriers according to claim I wherein said joined areas are generally Y- shaped.

* I i i 

1. In an article group carrier for holding in a predetermined arrangement a plurality of similar articles such as recessed chimed end cans, each having an annular groove adjacent the chime thereof: a. said carrier comprising a plurality of generally tube-like elements formed from webs joined in conjugate relationship to provide a plurality of connected article supporting loops; b. each of said loops holding an article therein and being arranged to hold said articles in a pair of side-by-side rows; c. said article holding loops for the articles of a row being joined between contiguous articles thereof by said loops at areas defined by: i. a generally elongated area portion in said loops at the points of conjugacy of said articles below the annular grooves in such articles; ii. a generally wider area portion in said loops connected to said elongate area portion and disposed at the points of conjugacy of said articles at the annular grooves in such articles; d. said article holding loops and the joining thereof at said areas causing said loops to be constrained into said annular groove adjacent said chime.
 2. The improvement in article carriers according to claim 1 wherein said joined areas are generally T-shaped.
 3. The improvement in article carriers according to claim 1 wherein said joined areas are generally Y-shaped. 